Social Media: How to choose the right platform for your business?

In this article, we will discuss how to choose the right social media platform for your business.

In recent years, social media has become the most important element in any digital marketing plan. However, with the number of social networks constantly increasing, many companies find it difficult to decide which social networks to promote their business on. 

For some other businesses that are able to decide which social media platforms to use, they tend to be disorganized and end up not using the social networks the right way.

In this post, we will discuss a list of tips and considerations you should take into account to choose the right social network to promote your business.

We will also answer the following questions:

• Which social networks to choose for your business? 
• How to behave on social networks? 
• Focus on the most popular social networks for professional purposes.

Locate where your ideal client is

This point is probably the most important for any social media strategy. Your clients can use all the platforms, but there is one where they spend the most time, and that is where you must be active if you want to increase your chances of reaching them with your digital marketing strategy.

Consider the cost of each social network

In reality, any social network could work for almost any business as long as you have the right budget. However, spending money on social networks does not guarantee a favorable return on investment. That is why you must analyze each social network and determine which ones will yield the best return, taking into account the human capital and the tools in which you are going to invest money.

Have a plan and stick to it

Before posting and investing time and money on social media, it's important to have a good social media strategy . First, you will have to plan everything, including contingency plans in case something does not work out. If you want to be successful on social networks, the most important factor is perseverance, and for that reason, you should not deviate from your initial plan at any time. Also, keep in mind the objectives you want to achieve and make the necessary adjustments in case they are not being met.

Here is a list of social networks you should consider or discard depending on the line of business.

Facebook: the channel for all businesses

With more than 2.7 billion users worldwide, of which 38 million are in France (2020 figures), Facebook is today's social network with the largest number of users. Both your main competitors and your potential customers are therefore probably on this platform. If it was originally a network mainly dedicated to friendly and social relations, Facebook is now becoming a solution for effectively promoting the activities of a company.

This platform can be used by all businesses without exception, from small artisans to large international embassies. To expand your notoriety and stay in touch with your community on Facebook, all you need to do is create a professional page that will allow you to:

• Present your activity
• Interact with your community
• Do a competitive watch
• Sell ​​a product
• Etc.

In order for communication to be effective, the content shared must be general and understandable by the general public. In addition, do not hesitate to use the advertising campaign service offered by this social network—Facebook Ads—to boost the results.

Recommended: Top 10 Reasons To Advertise on Facebook

LinkedIn: the meeting place for companies in B2B

Originally, LinkedIn was primarily used by executives and business leaders. However, at present, simple employees as well as those looking for work are also registered on this network. Moreover, according to statistics, LinkedIn now has 810 million users with over 57 million registered companies on their platform.

Be aware that LinkedIn is primarily intended for B2B relationships. It is thus the ideal platform to allow companies to:

• Present their expertise through publications with sharp ideas
• Develop the professional network
• Prospect to find new partners
• Present online training
• Recruit collaborators

If you want to thrive on LinkedIn, bet on the quality of publications. These must have a high added value and then bring solutions, answers or new knowledge to your network. But still, be active and reactive (comment, response to messages, reaction to publications, etc.).

Instagram and Pinterest: perfect for visual marketing

As they mainly value images, Instagram and Pinterest are considered the social networks of “beauty”. There is indeed often little text and many beautiful photos on these 2 platforms. Which makes it an excellent way for an impactful visual communication strategy. These platforms are therefore ideal for companies working in the following areas:

• Fashion and beauty
• Gastronomy
• Tourism and travel
• Home and decoration
• Fitness and sports

However, note that these 2 social networks each have their specificities. Depending on your business objectives, one may be more suitable than the other and vice versa.

Instagram to build brand awareness

Instagram is a powerful tool for creating personal branding. In fact, this social network allows you to add a certain personal and human touch to publications. It is the ideal platform that allows you to somehow break the very “strict” side of business thanks to more or less relaxed and friendly content.

An event in which your company participated, the daily life of your employees, your work premises, etc. You can share every moment of your business life through stories, live short videos or IGTV option. In other words, Instagram allows you to show your community behind the scenes of your business structure.

In short, Instagram's main purpose is not to sell. Above all, this social network allows you to develop your notoriety by staying close to your community thanks to “human” content.

Pinterest to drive traffic

People typically use Pinterest to discover inspiring new content and ideas. Thus, it will be from this perspective that you will have to direct the marketing strategy of your company.

Pinterest is the right tool if you want to drive traffic to your website. Indeed, you can redirect your Pinterest publication to content on your blog. This social network is also perfect for promoting a product and then boosting sales.

For these two social networks, it is very important to post high quality images in order to arouse the interest of your audience. Do not hesitate to invest in quality cameras/designs.

Twitter: the tool for communication

Twitter is a social networking site for instant communication. If you want to stay on top of the news, this is the place to go. The platform is more or less suitable for all companies that want to follow the latest news or who often have urgent information to pass on.

This is how you will find many information companies, such as televisions, radios, online press, journalists, etc., on Twitter. If you also work in events and culture, this is the ideal channel to relay the message by making your future programs (fair, new musical album, new book) known to the public.

Twitter posts should be no longer than 280 characters. Your tweet must therefore be concise, but captivating if you want to arouse the interest of Internet users and then obtain retweets for more visibility.

YouTube: to move up a gear

With the exponential evolution of digital, videos are probably the future of marketing. Promoting your business through YouTube is therefore possible for any type of business.

This platform allows you to publish the following types of videos:

• Trainings/Tutorials
• Advice
• Storytelling videos
• Product presentation
• Etc.

Be aware that between editing the video, acquiring subscribers and increasing the number of views, getting started on YouTube is not an easy task. The idea is therefore to combine the use of this means of communication with other social networks. Once your promotion is successful, your business will definitely grow!

TikTok: if your target is young

TikTok has been the flagship social network for the past two years. The use of this channel consists in presenting customized and playful videos of a few seconds, accompanied by rhythmic and amusing music. According to statistics, there are more than 800 million monthly active users on this platform.

If you are considering personal branding your business, you should jump at the chance and create your TikTok account, especially if you are targeting people between the ages of 16 and 25. It is a powerful channel for companies working in the gastronomy and fashion sectors.

To make yourself known on TikTok, you can collaborate with influencers who have already been talked about on this social network. Otherwise, you still have the option to create engagements with the hashtag challenge.

Five practical tips for the correct use of social networks

After choosing the appropriate social network(s) to reach your target audience, it is important to take into account some practical tips when starting to use these tools. Here we share some:

• Produce a content strategy, with regular and differentiated publications for each network.
• Seek to have interaction with users.
• Humanize the brand, especially in terms of customer service.
• Listen carefully to user complaints or claims, and offer a quick response.
• Take advantage of the tools to know and understand the needs of customers.

How to effectively promote your business on social networks?

After having identified the ideal social network for your business, you then need to take the right steps to promote your activities on these platforms:

• Optimize your social network profile or page
• Post content 2-3 times a week
• Choose the right times to reach your target audience
• Create viral content by focusing on textual (LinkedIn) and visual (Instagram) quality
• Interact regularly with your community
• Work with influencers to easily reach audiences and expand targets
• Take advantage of all the options offered by social networks (story, ads, hashtags, CTA buttons, etc.)

In this article, we have clearly outlined how to choose the right social media platform to promote your business. The next step is to actually take action by following all the steps in this article to choose and promote your business on the right social network.

Most often, entrepreneurs do not have time to manage their social media profiles while also managing their business activities. For some that have the time, they may not have the necessary skills required to manage and promote their business on social media. Whatever ever the case may be, the wisest option would be to hire a Social Media Manager. 

At Acken Technologies, we offer professional social media management services to manage and promote your business on social media.

Contact us today to kickstart your project.

You may also be interested in:

• Top 7 Reasons Why Your Facebook Ads Are Not Working
• Website Designer : What to Look For When Hiring One